River Lea
The Grand Island Historical Society restored and maintains the farm house
known as River Lea and located in Beaver Island State Park.
It was built on Lewis F. Allen's property, Allenton Farms,
by his son, W. Cleveland Allen. Today it is owned by New York State.

River Lea in Beaver Island State Park will be open to the public from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 17th. The Lewis F. Allen farmhouse, headquarters for the Grand Island Historical Society, has much to offer in the way of Island history in photos, furnishing and memorabilia. Society members will be on hand to answer questions and offer information. Refreshments will be served.

The Grand Island Historical Society will hold a general meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, 2011 in its headquarters River Lea, in Beaver Island State Park. The program will feature Peter Jablonski who will present the history of Buffalo breweries. The meeting is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

The Grand Island Historical Society will hold a general meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2011 in Historic Trinity Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road. The program will feature Civil War Re-enactors from the 151st NY based out of Newfane and the Newfane Historical Society who will come with full gear and equipment to explain what life was like as a Union Army soldier. This will be a hands on presentation with many items for people to look at and hold. The meeting is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

The lucky winner of the Grand Island Historical Society's Redwork Square Baby Quilt is Pat Gervase of Tonawanda. Historical Society members thank all who supported the Quilt raffle and also to those who attended the luncheons and Christmas open houses.
Historical Society program meetings resume in March 2011 and everyone is welcome. A newsletter will be sent to members at the end of February listing all of the program meetings.
To join the Historical Society, fill out the Membership Form

Harpist Nellie Brown will be playing again on Sunday, December 5thClick photos for larger view

The Grand Island Historical Society invites the community to their annual Christmas open houses at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park on Sundays, November 28th and December 5th from 1-4 p.m. The members of the Society have decorated the Lewis F. Allen house from top to bottom. An old fashioned country Christmas store will be featured and refreshments will be served. The raffle winner of a Redwork Square Baby Quilt will be drawn and a special feature will be harpist, Nellie Brown of East Amherst, who will play throughout the afternoon.

Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 4 at
River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. The program will feature Carol Rogers from the State Parks giving a presentation titled "The Establishment of Niagara Falls State Park" celebrating 125 years. The public is cordially invited and refreshments will be served.

October 17, 2010 . . .The view from River Lea in Beaver Island State Park, the Grand Island Historical Society's headquarters, has taken on new dimensions. What was a narrow view of the Niagara River for years, has just been opened up through the efforts of a Williamsville Boy Scout Troop under the direction of Scout Master Gil Munoz. Matthew McDonald of Troop 445 made arrangements to do the work with fellow scouts by contacting Dave Clark and Maureen Currey of the Parks Department.
The project, which will make Matthew the recipient of the highly coveted Eagle Scout award, was completed in three days with help from many different individuals.

The Grand Island Historical Society announces its Christmas Luncheons, brought back this year by popular demand, and being held in River Lea in Beaver Island State Park at 1 p.m. on the following dates: Tuesday, November 30
Friday, December 3
Saturday, December 4
Cost is $18 by reservation only by calling Carol Moore, 773-3817. The program all three days will be a fashion show – “Upstairs, Downstairs – Life in a Victorian Home” presented by Maggie Gushue. River Lea will be decorated for Christmas and the Country Store will be open for shoppers.
The holiday season at River Lea starts off with an open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, November 28 and ends with open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, December 5 when the winner of the Redwork Square Baby Quilt raffle will be announced. Tickets on the quilt are available from members now.

Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 7 at
River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. The program will feature Peter Jablonski who will present a program on "Privies" - A Time Capsule in Your Backyard. The public is cordially invited and refreshments will be served.

The Grand Island Historical Society will host a garage sale at 9 a.m., Saturday September 18th at 1570 Cox Road. Members and friends are asked to save items for the sale. For further information, call Sharon at 773-2421.

The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public as follows:
Sunday, September 19 - 2-4 p.m. - Open House - River Lea, Beaver Island State Park
Sunday, October 17 - 2-4 p.m. - Open House - River Lea, Beaver Island State Park
Sunday, November 28 - 1-4 p.m. - Christmas Open House - River Lea, Beaver Island State Park
Sunday, December 5 - 1-4 p.m. - Christmas Open House - River Lea, Beaver Island State Park
The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served.

Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will resume meetings on Thursday, September 2 at
River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a potluck dinner. Those attending are asked to bring their own place setting and a dish to pass. . After dinner music will be provided by violinist Zacharia Jones.

(left) Friends of Harmony - Robin Shipman and Maggie Gushue - Marilyn Randolph, Curt Nestark, Sharon Nichols, Ruth Englert, Audra Wynne, and Emily Wynne. Click photos for full view
Grand Island Historical Society members set up their annual root beer float stand at Klingel Town Commons during the Tuesday, July 13, 2010 band concert and completely sold out. The town sponsored "Friends of Harmony" (barbershop) concert was most enjoyable, with the patriotic slant absolutely heart warming for many of us.
Thanks to the audience for supporting our historical society's fundraiser deemed a complete success.

The Grand Island Historical Society will offer a rootbeer float fundraiser during the town sponsored band concert in Klingel Town Commons at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 13. The concert will feature Friends of Harmony, a barbershop group. Rain date is July 15.

Jim Brown and Teddy Linenfelser.
Alice Gerard Photo
The Grand Island Historical Society installed officers during the annual installation dinner on Thursday, June 3 in River Lea. Jim Brown was re-elected treasurer and Corresponding Secretary Teddy Linenfelser was also re-elected. Collette's Catering provided the dinner, and table decorations were the work of Sharon Nichols and Carolyn Doebert. Program chairman Mary Burngasser arranged for entertainment by Gary Para, a strolling magician. Installing officer was Suzanne Grafinger.

(left) Longtime member and Historical Society docent Carolyn Doebert is shown speaking to a group of Huth Road Elementary students during the Friday, May 21 fourth grade tour. (right) Victoria Cortes, holding a photo of WWII hero and medal of honor winner Charles N. DeGlopper, and Dylan DeGlopper, a direct decendant, are shown in the library at River Lea with their classmates.
On three separate days, groups of 4th grade students from Kaegebein, Huth and St. Stephen schools along with several home schooled 4th graders, approximately 184 in all, were given a bus tour of the Island, stopping to see such historic spots as Tuckers Store in Ferry Village, the remains of the Corona on East River at Kirkwood Drive, the Whitehaven Settlement smokehouse on the Holiday Inn property, the ice house on East River Road near Fix Road and several other interesting sites. After the tour, each bus load of students, Society docents and teachers visited Lewis F. Allen's farm house, River Lea in Beaver Island State Park where Historical Society docents were stationed in each room and explained many of the artifacts and interesting pictures and answered the students' questions.
The students were provided with maps of the Island along with stickers to mark the places they looked at. The maps are courtesy of Linda Kutzbach (Re/Max).

The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public on Sunday, May 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served.

The Grand Island Historical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. May 6 in River Lea, Beaver Island State Park. Peter Jablonski will present “Antiques 101,” a guide to collecting antiques. Peter welcomes those attending to bring an item for an appraisal, our very own “Antiques Roadshow.” See http://www.antiquesbuffalony.com/
The public is invited and refreshments will be served.

The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public on Sunday, April 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served.

The Grand Island Historical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 1, 2010 at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. Guest speaker, June Crawford, will present a power point presentation of Graycliff, home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The public is welcome and refreshments will be served.

Dave Ruch

The Grand Island Historical Society will present a lecture by Dave Ruch on "Traditional and Historical Songs of New York State." Free and open to the general public, the event begins at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 4 at Historic Trinity Chapel, 2100 Whitehaven Rd., Grand Island. Refreshments will be served. This event is made possible through Speakers in the Humanities, a program of the New York Council for the Humanities. Speakers in the Humanities lectures are made possible with the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York State Legislature, and through funds from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

Wedding photographs and cake tops, and Valentines and candy, were only part of the table settings and displays that adorned Historic Trinity Chapel during the Grand Island Historical Society's Vintage Bridal Show. The event on Saturday, February 13th began with a luncheon attended by nearly 100 guests, and was catered by Mike Carr's Village Inn and served by members and friends of the Society. Margaret "Maggie" Gushue was show chairman, assisted by Carolyn Doebert and Sharon Nichols.
Dustin Gushue opened the show by modeling a tuxedo of worsted wool, complete with vest and frock coat. The tux was worn by Albert Morgan to his wedding in 1906. The Morgan family has resided on East River Road since the 1850s. Dustin and Society President Curt Nestark assisted the models to the pulpit and down to the runway. Assisting with the long, vintage trains and bridal veils was Julia Shipman.
Wedding gowns of every description, some dating from the 1800s, were modeled, most having been donated to the Historical Society over the years. Mrs. Gushue gave a complete description and history of all of the gowns, accessories and bouquets.
The one-hour show included not only beautiful wedding dresses, but also a 1960s going away outfit - the "Jackie Look," modeled by Sue Ackendorf, a mother-of-the-bride dress and a 1940s "day dress" modeled by Teddy Linenfelser. The mother-of-the-bride dress was originally worn in 1975 by Betty Forsythe Killian who attended the show. The day dress was worn by the late Evelyn Carlson on her wedding day.
Members of the Historical Society are most appreciative of a donation from Tops Friendly Market to help the Society with the event.
More photos may be added as they become available.

Historical Society bridal show committee member Suzanne Grafinger

The Grand Island Historical Society will present a Vintage Bridal Fashion Show & Luncheon at
noon on Saturday, February 13, 2010 in Historic Trinity Chapel, 2100 Whitehaven Road.
Tickets,$20, are available by reservation only. Call Carol, 773-3817 before February 6.

Society members are shown reading the music as they play the hand bells.
Mary Cooke photo - Click for larger view

The Grand Island Historical Society's well attended Christmas party was held in River Lea on Saturday
evening, December 5, 2009. Party Chairman Mary Burngasser led the members in several fun and funny
holiday and historical games. Divided into four groups, those attending wrote new lyrics for old
Christmas songs and then took turns singing their verses. Voted best by applause (mostly by the winners!)
were Sharon Watz, Sharon Nichols, Bonnie Luce and Teddy and Jim Linenfelser. The old standard Christmas
carols were played with hand bells, which has become a custom of the Society.

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